January 9 - January 10, 2026 Kleber Mendonça Filho: An American Cinematheque Retrospective Series | THE SECRET AGENT, NEIGHBORING SOUNDS, AQUARIUS
ABOUT THE SERIES: The American Cinematheque is delighted to welcome back one of the most powerful voices of Brazilian cinema, Kleber Mendonça Filho, for an in-person retrospective of his work. Mendonça Filho came into the feature filmmaking scene as a force, with his feature debut NEIGHBORING SOUNDS quickly gaining notoriety and being celebrated for its masterful images and thoughtful display of the human spirit. Mendonça’s brilliance did not falter with his second feature, AQUARIUS, as the subtle yet mature story of a tenant’s relationship with space doubled as a political allegory for broader cultural issues. Mendonça’s profound social commentary carried through in his newest film, THE SECRET AGENT, a political thriller chronicling the final years of the Brazilian military dictatorship. Throughout his varied filmography Mendonça Filho masterfully weaves political drama, dark comedy and surrealist thrills, earning his latest film THE SECRET AGENT the Brazilian official entry for the 98th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film and three Golden Globe nominations, including Best Drama Motion Picture, Best Non-English Language Motion Picture and Best Actor. Join us in celebrating Kleber Mendonça Filho’s remarkable contribution to the world of cinema.